Rationale:
Evaluation of alternative radionuclides for use in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radioligand therapy (RLT) is currently focusing on
161
Tb, which may provide advantages by emitting additional Auger and conversion electrons. In this pilot study, we present preliminary dosimetry data for [
161
Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 RLT in a direct comparison with [
177
Lu]Lu-PSMA-617.
Method:
Six patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) underwent treatment with [
177
Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and subsequently - after inadequate response - with [
161
Tb]Tb-PSMA-617. Whole-body planar and SPECT imaging-based dosimetry of organs at risk (kidneys and salivary glands) and tumor lesions were calculated using IDAC for
177
Lu and OLINDA/EXM for
161
Tb. The therapeutic index (TI) of mean tumor-absorbed doses over relevant organs at risk was calculated.
Results:
Mean absorbed doses to organs at risk of PSMA-RLT were slightly higher for [
161
Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 compared to [
177
Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (kidneys: 0.643 ± 0.247 vs. 0.545 ± 0.231 Gy/GBq, factor 1.18; parotid gland: 0.367 ± 0.198 vs. 0.329 ± 0.180 Gy/GBq, factor 1.10), but markedly higher regarding tumor lesions (6.10 ± 6.59 vs 2.59 ± 3.30 Gy/GBq, factor 2.40,
p
< 0.001). Consequently, the mean TI was higher for [
161
Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 compared to [
177
Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 for both, the kidneys (11.54 ± 9.74 vs. 5.28 ± 5.13,
p
= 0.002) and the parotid gland (16.77 ± 13.10 vs. 12.51 ± 18.09,
p
= 0.008).
Conclusion:
In this intra-individual head-to-head pilot study, [
161
Tb]Tb-PSMA-617 delivered higher tumor-absorbed doses and resulted in superior TI compared to [
177
Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. This preliminary data support
161
Tb as a promising radionuclide for PSMA-RLT in mCRPC.